Justin Verlander has said before that he'd like to be a Detroit Tiger for life. Friday, that came one step closer to happening, as he agreed to a five-year contract extension, locking him up at least through the 2019 season.

"I love this city & the fans," Verlander tweeted shortly after the contract extension was announced. "Couldn't be more excited to spend my career here! We're going to bring a World Series to Detroit!!!"

After saying he was intrigued with the concept of free agency earlier this offseason, Verlander had said he would not negotiate an extension to his existing deal, which ran through 2014, during the season, setting an arbitrary cut-off point at this week. Just Thursday, he said he had no comment on anything contract-related, leaving observers to speculate that the negotiations might be tabled until next offseason.

"Justin is one of the premier pitchers in baseball and we are thrilled to keep him in a Tigers uniform for many years to come," David Dombrowski, the team's CEO, GM and president, said in a news release. "Justin has been a Tiger for his entire career and he is on pace to be one of the greatest pitchers in this illustrious franchise's history."

And apparently, he'll stay that way.

FOX Sports' Jon Morosi reported that the deal includes a no-trade clause, something that would have been a give, if he had achieved 10-and-5 rights by staying three more seasons with the Tigers, anyway. According to Morosi, a source confirmed that the vesting option is dependent on whether Verlander finishes top-five in the Cy Young voting in 2019.

That may determine whether or not Verlander officially becomes the sport's first $200 million pitcher -- something he said "Of course" to when asked earlier this spring -- but he's already the highest-paid hurler in MLB history. His $180 million trumps the $175-million, seven-year deal signed by Seattle ace Felix Hernandez earlier this year.

With Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw approaching his final two years of arbitration eligibility, and likely the next pitcher to command a high-dollar contract, and Verlander approaching free agency for the first time himself in 2015, it makes sense to lock him up now, rather than run the risk of having to pay more.

It's still a lot of money to invest in one player, but it hardly makes Verlander singular on his own team.

Between Verlander, Prince Fielder ($214 million), Miguel Cabrera ($152.3 million) and Anibal Sanchez ($80 million), the Tigers now have $626 million tied up in four players. Cabrera's deal is the first to expire, coming up in 2015.

The four players' salaries will total $90 million in the final year of Cabrera's deal.

Matthew B. Mowery covers the Tigers for Journal Register Company. Email him at matt.mowery@oakpress.com and follow him on Twitter @matthewbmowery.